Switch-operating mechanism.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

W. J. HYNES. SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1902.

NO MODEL.

\wfllmmw In In t antor NITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

'WILLIAM JAMES HYNES, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

.ICJATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,195, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed September 27,1902. Serial No. 125,020. No model.)

To all w/m'm, it may (JO/b06777! Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J AMES HYNES, of Utiea, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch-operating mechanism capable of being worked from and without stopping the car and which is simple and cheaply installed, not liable to breakage or injury from misuse, and capable of use under most unfavorable weather conditions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan view of a section of track, a switch, and my switch-operating mechanism installed in position wit-h reference thereto. Fig. 2 shows a section of a track with my switch-operating mechanism installed therein and the operating mechanism employed on the car. Fig. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale,details of aspringcasing employed in the construction. Fig. at shows, also on an enlarged scale, details of the switch-operatingmechanism whichismounted on the car.

Referring to the reference characters in a more particular description, 1 and 2 indicate the rails of an ordinary street-car track, and

1 indicate the switch-points, the point abeing a movable point, while the point 3 in the construction as shown is a stationary point. Between the track-rails I provide a grooved way or track 5, which at its ends is preferably in the plane of the surface of the street between the tracks,while the m iddlc portion is depressed below the surface. Adjacent to the middle ordepressed portion on asuitable baseplate i,which may be a portion of an inclosing casing, if desired, I pivot at 7 the rotary gearwheel h, which is provided, as shown, with four arms 9 9, &c. The arrangement of the arms 9 and the position of the gear with reference to the groove-track is such that at least one of the arms is always overhanging the groove in the track. Meshing with the gear wheel 8 is the gear pinion 10, pivoted on the plate (3 at 11. The relative size of the gears when four arms are employed is 55 preferably as two to 011e, so that when the gear 8 makes a quarter-revolution the gearpinion 10 will make a half-revolution. Near the periphery of the gear-pinion 10 I pivot at 12 one end of the slotted rocking lever 13. So This lever is mounted on a stationary pivot 14, secured in the plate 6, and the pivot engages the lever in a slot, as shown, so that the lever can both turn on the pivot and slide lengthwise. from the pinion 10 is secured to the spring barrel or casing 15, preferably by means of the depending projection 15*. lVithin the spring-barrel 15 are provided springs 16 and 17, engaging upon either side of the head 18 7c on the rod 10 and under normal conditions operating to maintain the head 18 in substantially the middle of the spring-barrel. The rod 19 is connected to the movable switch-point at.

On the car there is provided an operating means consisting of a jointed lever of two parts 20 21, pivoted to a projection on the car at 22. The knuckle-joint. at 23 between the two parts of this arm or lever is provided 8o with shoulders, sothat the lever cannot be straightened out any more than that shown in full lines in Figs. 2and at. The lever, however, is capable of folding up in the opposite direction, as shown by the dotted lines in 8 Fig. 4. For retracting the operating mechanism there is provided a spring 25, secured at one end to the car and at the other end to the operating-lever. This spring is capable of retracting the operating-lever into the upper position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. By means of a treadle-pin 26, which passes through the platform, the operating-lever can be moved from its upper position to thelower position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In operation, as the car comes to the switch, in case the motorman or driver sees the switch is not turned in the direction he desires to take, by means of the treadle 2611c forces the operating-lever down, so that it enters the grooved track 5 and follows through the depressed portion thereof. In this passage it strikes one of the arms 9 and gives a quarterturn to the gear-wheel 8, which gives a half- The opposite end of the lever 65 turn to the gear-wheel and throws the switch-point I either open or closed, depending on its former position. The mechanism is left in position for a repetition of the operation by a following car. In case of any obstruction or dirt between the movable switch-point and the rail the difference is compensated for by the spring 16. In case a car passes over the track in the opposite direction from that shown in the drawings either the spring 1 6 or 17 will yield sufficiently to allow the point +L to swing to the right or left, as may be required, in allowing the passage of the wheels moving in the opposite direction. The switch mechanism is more particularly adapted for use on double-track roads, where cars move only in one direction over the track; but, as before suggested, it maybe used with cars moving in both directions. The joint in the lever mechanism on the car allows the lever to double up in case the car is moved backward and the end of the lever should strike an obstruction. When not in use, the operating mechanism on the car is turned up or retracted by the spring 25.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a grooved track, a rotatable gear located at the side of the groove and having a number of arms arranged so that one will always project over the groove and the gear be caused to make a partial rotation by a projection from. a car, a gear-pinion meshing with said gear and of a relative size to make a halfrevolution in unison with the said partial rotation of the gear, a lever pivoted intermediate of its length on a fixed pivot extending from the gear to which it is pivoted toward the movable switch'point, and connection between the end of said lever and the switch-point including springs which will allow the point to be forced in either direction Without producing a movement of said operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch-operating mechanism the combination of the grooved track, a rotatable gear located adjacent to the side of the grooved track and having a number of arms arranged so that one will always project over the groove, a gear-pinion engaging with said armed gear, a lever slidably mounted on a pivot intermediate of its length extending longitudinally of the truck and connected at one end to said gear-pinion and at the other end to the switch-point, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have aliixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of September, 1002.

WILLIAM JAMES HYNES.

IVitnesses:

S. A. BROWN, S. I. DEVINE. 

